Eternal Sacrifice
by Jounah
Summary: AU "The resurrection of Gaia is our only reason for being." Hyuuga Hinata, a human with a soul delicious enough to tempt even the tamest of Demons. Uzumaki Naruto, a Demon Master whose conflicting feelings of hunger and love for her threatens his sanity. The Arellas whose purpose is to keep them apart.
1. Prologue

**A/N: Hello readers! This is a rewrite of one of my past stories which had the same name. I really liked the story idea, but the execution wasn't up to par. I hope you enjoy reading and please review!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. It belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.**

"Eitan, where have you been?" The girl hissed, her dark brown eyes flashing as she pulled the boy into the house. "Do you know how worried I was? An entire week without any means of contact! Do you understand what that feels like?" Before he could answer, she did it for him. "No! Because neither Abilene nor I do anything like this!" She threw down his wrist and began to pace about the kitchen, muttering angrily to herself. After a few minutes, she turned back to him. "Well?" She raised an eyebrow. "Are you going to explain yourself any time soon?"

"I was just waiting until you calmed down," Eitan replied coolly, throwing his pack onto the kitchen table. He grabbed an apple off the counter and began eating.

"You look filthy," the girl commented, her nose scrunching in disgust. She grabbed a small cloth and dipped it in the bucket of water. "At least wipe your face." She threw the towel at him.

He adeptly caught it and set down the apple core. He had to gather his thoughts and how and what exactly to tell Arella. All the tales that had been doubted, the contempt and maltreatment his family had received because of their belief in them would end with the item he had recovered. He lifted his eyes to hers and began speaking.

"Arella, I found it." In response to the questioning raise of her eyebrow, he added, "The Necklace of the Gods, the necklace in the stories Grandfather used to tell us."

Arella gave a weary sigh and massaged her temples. "Eitan, when are you going to give up these silly ideas of demons and angels? They don't exist."

"If Gods exist, why can't demons and angels? To you, Grandfather's stories may only be stories, but they wouldn't exist if there wasn't some truth behind it."

"Eitan, you need to stop living in childhood fantasies. You're a grown man now, and you have responsibilities. If you don't find a wife, then you should at least look for some work. I just…Abilene and I need you, Eitan. You know I can only do so much as a woman."

"I know," Eitan murmured guiltily, "but just look at this first," he continued, unwilling to give up. "It really is the Necklace of the Gods. We can use it to clear our names as believers of fantasy and then sell it. We can use the money to change our futures." Eitan stood excitedly and opened his pack. He pulled out a gold necklace that shined in the firelight. Attached were three solid gold pendants, each of which was carved with a symbol. The first was a crescent moon, the second a three branch with leaves, and the third the sun.

While Eitan looked at the necklace with admiration, fear was present in Arella's eyes. "You need to get rid of it, Eitan."

"Why?" Eitan looked up suddenly, subconsciously pulling the necklace closer to him.

"Having that necklace will bring the wrath of the Gods upon us. Return it to where you found it, get rid of it—I don't care!"

"No!" Eitan yelled back, stuffing the necklace in his shirt. "The Gods will not be vengeful when they see my act was for the benefit of our family."

"They do not think like we do!" Arella replied, her fists clenching. "If they are angered, they will punish! They do not care about earthly, human matters!"

Before Eitan could reply, a small voice spoke up hesitantly, "Eitan? Arella? Why are you fighting?"

Both turned to the entryway. Their little sister, long brown hair askew, stood close to the wall, biting her lip, her strange blue eyes luminescent in the firelight.

Arella was the first to respond. "I'm sorry, love." She walked over and picked up her sister. "Eitan and I were just talking. We didn't mean to wake you up."

"Hello Abilene," said Eitan softly, heading toward the pair. He reached out a hand and smoothed down Abilene's hair. "How are you?"

"Sleepy," Abilene murmured, yawning as she laid her head on Arella's shoulder.

"Sorry about waking you up," he replied. "Here, I'll take you back to bed." He removed Abilene from Arella's arms. He cradled her close as he walked to the bedroom and laid her on the blankets. He pulled another blanket up to her chin and stood to leave. Abilene grabbed the back of his shirt, stopping him.

"Yes, Abilene?"

"What necklace were you and Arella talking about?" She asked curiously, laying on her side and placing her hands underneath her cheek.

"The Necklace of the Gods," Eitan answered truthfully, enthusiastically as he sat down at her side.

"From the stories?" Abilene questioned eagerly, sitting up. Her eyes were lit, a grin on her face.

"Yes, from the stories. And I have the necklace right here." Eitan pulled the necklace from underneath his shirt. He handed it to Abilene whose mouth was open in awe. She hesitantly reached out a hand, retracted it, and reached out again. Her fingers glided over the pendants. Abilene gave a small gasp and pulled back as the carvings on the pendants began to glow.

"What's happening?" She asked in disbelief, lifting her eyes to Eitan's.

"I don't know," he answered. "I can't remember anything like this being mentioned in the stories."

A sudden scream snapped the pair out of their thoughts.

"Arella!" Abilene yelled worriedly, scrambling to her feet. She rushed to the door, tripping over herself. She threw the door open and ran out, Eitan on her heels, calling her name. Abilene stopped at the entrance to the kitchen, her eyes wide with shock. Arella lay on the floor, a large pool of dark liquid staining her nightgown and the floor beneath her. Standing over Arella was a tall, muscular figure clothed in white. He glowed unnaturally, lighting up the whole room.

"Arella," Abilene whimpered. Her call caused the man to raise his head and turn. Abilene flinched when his light, translucent eyes met hers. He took a step toward her.

"Who are you?" Eitan demanded, pushing Abilene behind him. "What did you do to my sister?"

The man said nothing. He raised a hand and clenched it into a fist. Eitan suddenly grabbed at his throat, producing choking sounds. The man watched emotionlessly as Eitan collapsed to the ground, writhing in pain and panic. When he fell, the necklace slipped out from underneath his shirt and clattered to the ground.

"Eitan! Eitan!" Abilene ran to him. She dropped beside him, crying. "Stop it! Please stop it!" She begged the man. "What do you want? Take what you want and stop this! Please stop!"

The man continued to ignore her as he again raised his hand. The necklace shook slightly but made no other movement. His eyebrows creased slightly, the only show of emotion he had displayed thus far. He moved forward to retrieve the necklace. Abilene continued to cry, pleading with the man to stop. Eitan was losing consciousness.

The man stooped down and grabbed the necklace. His eyes glanced over Abilene as he turned and made to leave.

"No! Eitan! No!" Abilene sobbed as Eitan went still. Tears poured down her cheeks as she shook him, as if hoping he would wake. "Eitan!" She raised her head and screamed after the man, who had yet to leave. "Give them back! Give my brother and sister back! You monster! Give them back!"

A bright, blinding light illuminated the room. The man turned around, eyes widening. The child released an unnatural glow not unlike the man's. She had fallen silent, her eyes shut as though asleep.

"No," he murmured angrily. "No. You cannot wake again, monster. I will not let you." He raised a hand and a ball of fire began to form. He threw it in Abilene's direction.

A woman suddenly appeared, and with a simple flick of her wrist, the fireball died out. Her long, golden hair was simply braided, her dark eyes serious. She was also clothed in white, her skin radiating the same unearthly glow as Abilene and the man.

"What are you doing?" The man hissed, another fireball forming in his hand. "Do you know what that child is?"

"Do you take me for a fool, Mardik?" The woman countered, her voice sweet and light as air. She stepped aside and looked down at Abilene with soft, compassionate eyes. "It is neither she nor Gaia that must be blamed. It is with us and the way we raised our daughter that sealed her fate." She reached out a hand as if to stroke Abilene's hair, but she paused and pulled her hand away.

"I will not let this child live," Mardik threatened. As though to emphasize his point, he released more fireballs, few of which even made it past the woman before they were nullified by a seeming unknown force. "Why do you protect her? You know the doom she will bring if allowed to live."

"She will have nothing even if she lives," the woman answered sadly. "You have already taken the only family she has."

"Filthy humans," the man sneered, his face twisting in disgust.

The woman's eyes flashed and the fire from the fireplace went out, but the glow from Abilene and the two Gods continued to illuminate the small kitchen. "Do not speak of humans that way, Mardik. You know nothing about them and the struggles and hopes they hold dear to them."

"You should also mention their thievery," said Mardik, holding up the necklace.

"And you should realize the reasons why he stole the necklace," the woman responded within seconds of his statement. "And to have taken the necklace requires cunning, strategy, and bravery. It is a nontrivial task. You cannot deny this, Mardik."

"Even so, it was not right of him to steal the necklace in the first place. If you let them go, they will tell the world which will begin to view us as forgiving and weak. We will no longer hold their respect. You cannot deny this, Elynia. If I am not allowed to kill her…"

Elynia steadily lifted her eyes to Mardik's. "Is it too hard to let her live? To bring back her family?"

"Yes," Mardik answered immediately. Suddenly his eyes narrowed and a malicious grin crossed his face. "She and her entire family can live…as cursed beings." He held up the necklace for Elynia to see. "Three pendants, three hosts…perhaps it is fate."

"Mardik," Elynia began, but before she could do anything, he had broken apart the necklace and pressed one of the pieces into the Arella's heart.

"What are you doing?" Elynia snapped, grabbing his wrist.

"It's too late, Elynia," Mardik answered. "The others need a host…now." He shook off her hand and inserted another piece into Eitan. The third and final piece went into Abilene's heart. "It was you who gave them this fate." Mardik turned to Elynia. "They could have died tonight and moved on to the afterlife to be reborn. Instead, they will be trapped on this earth for all eternity." He gave a quick, cutting laugh before disappearing without a trace.

"Why, Mardik?" She murmured, watching as the three bodies rose, their bodies glowing a soft, dark red. On each one, a small tattoo was engraved in their skin, reflecting the pendant that had been inserted into their hearts. Eitan had received the sun; Arella the moon; Abilene the tree branch. Elynia stood at their heads, watching gravely as their bodies became engulfed in cocoons of light.

"I…am sorry," she said, although she knew it was pointless. "Even if it does not make a difference, this is all I can do." She closed her eyes and lifted a finger in front of her face. She whispered an indecipherable chant under her breath. Her eyes opened as her finger swept over the bodies. "Even if you are cursed, you will each be reincarnated every five hundred years." She turned to Arella's body. "You are an angel, an Arella. Only four of your kind will ever be present on this earth. Although your numbers will be fewer than the Demons, you shall have powers strong enough to defeat them, most especially when the moon watches over you. Your duty is to protect one another, and most especially Gaia, from the Demons."

Next, Elynia turned to Eitan's body. "You will be a Demon, bearing the hardest burden for you stole the Necklace of the Gods. Only the four Masters of your kind will be reincarnated as Demons every thousand years. You will feed off the souls of human beings, using their blood to seal the souls within you. The powers of the sun give you strength and it is during this time that you must hunt."

At last, Elynia gazed upon Abilene's cocooned body; she was silent a few moments before she began. "You, my Gaia, are neither Arella nor Demon. You will have no powers or distinctive features; you will seem like any normal human being. However, the Demon Masters will continuously hunt you for the powers you possess for you are a child of the Gods and so hold powers not unlike us. As such, I have asked the Arellas to protect you. Your revival will not be a trivial task, but I hope it will never come to that."

Elynia stepped back from the three bodies. "Now I send you off to begin your lives anew and to hopefully never meet." She watched as the bodies became mere spheres of light and disappeared. Not long after, so did she, the small home of the three previous occupants burning to the ground.

**A/N: Well, I hope you enjoyed the prologue of Eternal Sacrifice. Please review and enjoy the next chapter!**


	2. Chapter 1

**A/N: I hope you enjoyed the prologue of Eternal Sacrifice. Here now is the first chapter which finally introduces some of our key characters! Hope you like it!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. It belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.**

"Hinata-chan, hurry up or we'll be late for the party!" Sakura yelled, slipping on a pair of sparkly silver heels. "Okay, keys, gum, mirror, lip gloss, money…I think that's it." She hurriedly stuffed all her things into a small clutch purse.

Hinata sat up suddenly and glanced around frantically, her heart beating quickly. When she realized there was no immediate danger, she sighed softly, willing her heart to calm down. She rubbed her temples and patted at her hair. How had she fallen asleep? She hadn't been very tired, and it had only been fifteen minutes since she and Sakura had parted to change into their dresses.

"Hinata-chan?" Sakura called again, her voice becoming more prominent as she got closer. "You ready?" She asked, popping her head into the room.

"Hai, gomen nasai, Sakura-chan. I just need a minute," Hinata replied, pulling on a pair of silver, diamond-studded heels. She grabbed her purse and briefly checked in the mirror to be sure her makeup hadn't been messed up while she'd napped.

"You look pretty as usual, Sakura-chan," Hinata complimented as they made their way out the door. Sakura wore an ankle-length dark red silk halter dress with an embroidered bodice and ballroom style skirt. Her light pink hair was pulled into a bun and held together with a mess of red flower clips that complemented her hair. On one wrist she wore a simple silver bracelet; her only other piece of jewelry was a pair of long silver drop earrings.

"Arigatou, Hinata-chan," Sakura smiled. "You look pretty as well." Hinata, on the other hand, wore a sleeveless light green dress that began at her knees in front and then flowed back to barely touch the ground. It had a round neckline and rouched bodice. Half of her dark tresses were pulled into a bun held together with glittery silver clips and the rest of her hair was curled. She wore a pair of diamond stud earrings and on her right ring finger was an ornate silver-banded ring with the Hyuuga crest.

"Arigatou gozaimasu," Hinata replied shyly with a small blush.

"Have a good evening, Hinata-sama, Sakura-san," said the butler who saw them off. He and the two maids on both sides of him gave low bows.

"Arigatou goazimasu," said Hinata in response with a polite bow of her own.

"Arigatou," Sakura added with a small smile and bow. She gave a small wave before walking out the door.

"Hinata-sama," the butler hesitantly spoke up when she was halfway through the doorway.

"Hai, Atsushi-san?" Hinata questioned, pausing.

The butler opened his mouth and then shut it, his eyebrows knitted in worry. Hinata waited patiently and respectfully. Hyuuga Atsushihad been with her since before she could remember. Even as a member of the branch family, Hinata cared deeply for the old man who cared for her and was more of a grandfather than anything.

"Be careful, Hinata-sama," he finally spoke.

"Hai," said Hinata cheerfully. "Ittekimasu." She gave a small smile and wave as Atsushi and the two maids gave final bows and shut the door behind her.

Sakura waited patiently, hands behind her back, looking at their surroundings.

"Gomen nasai, Sakura-chan," said Hinata when she reached Sakura.

"Don't worry about it."

It's almost dawn," Hinata commented worriedly as they began the trek to their destination.

"We'll be fine," Sakura reassured confidently. "We don't need anyone to protect us. We can fend for ourselves, even if we are in dresses. And we live close to Takagi-san, but…I was rather surprised when he announced his party was going to be around dawn since most people usually have their parties at twilight. Then again, he has always wanted to be an individual." Sakura suddenly laughed, imagining her boss with his bright mop of orange hair and blue-green eyes. If that wasn't enough to attract attention, he was usually dressed in bizarre outfits of purple and gold, pink and orange—normal colors men wouldn't be caught dead in. He was short, stout and good-natured in general, but he sometimes revealed a vile temper that made even the fiercest of men cower. It was when he was in one of these moments that Sakura had first met him, and she had been slightly afraid and hesitant upon having him as a boss, but over time, she had come to see the gentler side of him.

Hinata giggled. She had never officially met Takagi-san, but Hinata had seen a few pictures and heard enough stories that it seemed as though she already knew him. "Yes, that is true." Despite Sakura's reassurance, Hinata still felt uneasy. An insistent, prickly chill was running up and down the back of her neck, warning her of danger. Her eyes swept around them once as discreetly as she could. When Hinata spotted no immediate threat, she shook her head, trying to brush off the feeling of uneasiness that wouldn't leave her alone.

"Hinata-chan?" Sakura questioned curiously. "Are you okay?" Even as she asked this, her own eyes swept around them. Like Hinata, she felt a slight sense of unease that had been present since they had left their home.

"Hai, I'm fine," Hinata reassured. "We should hurry and get to Takagi-san's house before dawn." The two women quickened their pace.

* * *

A few miles outside their village, a Demon watched them from the windows of a house. No matter how much Hinata and Sakura would have searched, they would never have found the Demon that watched them hungrily.

"I hate waiting until dawn. It's ridiculous that Demons have more power when the sun is out. We shouldn't be limited by something as stupid as that. Whoever the hell decided this should have let us be at full power all the time." A blond-haired Demon growled, crushing the curtain in his fist.

"Calm yourself. The humans may have become smarter, but luckily for us, there are still those unlucky peasants without the means and resources to deny us." A red-haired Demon told the other this calmly as he sat behind a desk, diligently writing something on a piece of parchment.

The blond-haired man shut the curtain angrily before flopping down on the leather couch with a frustrated groan. "I guess you have a point, but still, having to hunt out of town every single week? Can there ever be a time where we can just hunt here? It would make things way less complicated."

"The peasants out there have no defenses against us unlike the humans in town who have begun to create shields and weapons. Hunting the peasants actually makes our lives easier."

"Hasn't Shikamaru been working with some of his lackeys to find weak points and counter measures to the shields and weapons?" The blond asked, an arm covering his eyes. "Or is he working on something else practically 24/7 in his secret laboratory?"

"The humans are unexpectedly advancing at an astounding rate. Every time it seems we've made a breakthrough, they create another layer we cannot penetrate through." Another Demon with long brown hair stated this factually in his calm, emotionless voice. He leafed through a book, looking almost bored, as he continued to speak. "They have become surprisingly intelligent."

"I liked them better when they were stupider," the blond-haired man complained, rolling over on his side. "Made it so much easier to hunt. Didn't have to worry about traveling or getting shot."

"But their intelligence makes them all the more satisfying to catch, don't you think, Neji?" The crimson-haired man responded, his eyes shifting to the dark-haired Demon.

"Hn," Neji answered in reply, turning another page in his book.

"How can you stand to read for so long, Neji?" The blond man asked, looking apprehensively at the pile of books at Neji's feet.

"Unlike you, Naruto, I like to keep my mind as alert and informed as my physical self. Perhaps you should do the same one day. It might make you less of a failure." His voice for the most part was monotonous, but neither of his companions could deny the small hint of disdain at the end.

Naruto sat up abruptly, his fists clenched. "Take that back," he gritted out. He stood and stalked over to where Neji sat by the window, calmly reading. His eyes didn't move away from the page nor did he flinch when Naruto lashed out and swiped Neji's book out of his hand.

"Now I'll have to find my page again," he simply stated, his pearl-colored, pupil-less eyes finally looking up into Naruto's which flickered between blue and red. "Going to lose your temper?" He questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"You—"

"Naruto." The red-haired man's voice was clear, steady, demanding, and made Naruto pause.

"Gaara—" He began, his eyes their normal sky blue.

"Stop being childish," Gaara replied, setting down his quill and standing. "Let's go. It's time to hunt."

"Yes!" Naruto yelled excitedly, pumping a fist into the air, completely forgetting the matter that had almost set him off. He ran to the door of the library, practically dancing. "I'll get Shikamaru and the others!"

"Idiot," Neji muttered under his breath, following after him.

"Neji," Gaara called. He stopped but didn't turn to face Gaara. "If you continue with your antics, I might allow Naruto to change one of these days, in which case you might not get out alive."

"Good," Neji replied dismissively. "If I can escape from this hellhole called life, I will gladly continue to bait him." With those words, he left, slamming the door behind him.

Gaara trailed after silently, contemplating.

**A/N: I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Please review and stay tuned for chapter 2!**


	3. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hello readers! Thank you for reading the first two chapters of Eternal Sacrifice. **

**I'd like to take this time to thank those who have read, reviewed, or put this story on alert or as a favorite. Special thanks especially to: Lost in Dreams19 and Tally3703. Thanks so much!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. It belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.**

Hinata and Sakura walked into Takagi mansion with the rest of the guests who had also just arrived, each of them (not surprisingly) heavily guarded. The real shocker for Hinata was the number of guests which ranged to about fifty; according to many of Sakura's past stories, it wasn't unusual for Takagi-san to invite about twice or even triple that number. He seemed to like extravagant parties and many people to enjoy them.

Hinata glanced around curiously as a butler helped to remove her coat. It was very similar to the mansion she and Sakura currently occupied. The front door was made of dark mahogany. The long stretching entranceway had high cathedral ceilings and a wood floor. Numerous entrances to other rooms were on either side. The first on the left was a small room for their guests' coats and other possessions. Across from that was a finely decorated room with a plush carpet where normal guests were greeted and treated with snacks and drinks.

Further down the entranceway were more entrances to the library and across from that a hallway that led to the kitchens, a formal dining room, and an informal one. Toward the back of the main entranceway was a long staircase to the second floor. Beyond the staircase was where most of the party would take place. It was a giant ballroom with windows covering all the walls and ceilings. Elegant, glass chandeliers lit up the room which was already bustling with people and servers.

The pair approached the ballroom and were greeted by Takagi who stood at the entrance and was dressed in a pair of dark violet silk pants and a button-up silk violet shirt lined with gold. "Ah, Sakura-san, I'm glad you could come," he greeted, placing a chaste kiss on the hand she held out. "Is this your friend, Hyuuga Hinata-san, whom I've heard so much about?"

"Yep," Sakura replied with a smile. "Hinata-chan, this is Takagi Akira-san."

"Ohayou, Takagi-san. Dozo yoroshiku," Hinata said shyly, holding out her hand upon which Takagi placed a chaste kiss.

"You both look beautiful tonight. Something tells me many lads will be asking you two gorgeous ladies to dance." He smirked slyly at the two girls. Hinata's blush returned ten-fold while Sakura gave a hearty laugh.

"Where is your wife, Takagi-san?" Sakura questioned, smoothly changing the subject much to Hinata's relief.

"Y-yes," Hinata added, her blush lowering. "I would like to meet her as well if it is no bother."

Takagi beamed and replied, "I'm sure she would appreciate that. However, I'm not quite sure where she is at the moment. Last time I checked, she was trying to get my daughter Tenten to dance with at least one of the boys here. I don't think she'll be very lucky though. Tenten is a tough girl and I highly doubt any of these boys would suit her fancy. Besides," his face darkened, "I wouldn't let any of them ever touch my daughter." He looked around gruffly, but then smiled brightly when he looked back at Hinata and Sakura. "Tenten has never really liked parties like these, but I bet she'll get along with you two greatly. She really does need some female friends; she spends too much time with the boys. Her mother greatly disapproves. But…she can be stubborn sometimes. I don't know where she gets it."

He paused and began muttering to himself, one hand cradling his chin, the other pressed against his temple. "Now…if I were Tenten, I'd probably be…out on a deserted balcony—no, no, in the garden. Yes, more places to hide and room to run. That is most definitely where she would go." Done thinking, he set down his hands, a beaming smile once again present on his face. "Why don't you go to the gardens and try to find her? I'm sure you'll also enjoy all the stunning flowers my wife just planted. We'll be eating…oh, in about five hours I'd say. So, 10 o'clock, okay?" He looked at them both before nodding to himself and departing, greeting one of his colleagues.

"Takagi-san is very kind and welcoming," Hinata complimented optimistically as they began walking towards the garden doors. Sakura only nodded in response. "Um…Sakura-chan, how do you know where to go?"

"We had a meeting a couple days ago and Takagi-san explained to us what precautions would be taken for everyone's safety and the measures needed if a Demon were to show up. After all, there have to be others besides his security crews that know what to do. He gave us maps to memorize and we created escape plans. So I know where everything is…or at least everything on that map."

"I guess that makes sense." They stepped into the gardens. "But Sakura-chan, is it not dangerous to be out here?"

"It would be if not for Takagi-san's guards and a new protection field that was designed by Haru Satoshi, the most elite person in developing technology against Demons."

"Haru…Satoshi…?" Hinata asked. She whizzed through her memories. Where had she heard that name before? She gasped and turned to Sakura. "You mean the Satoshi-kun that attended school with us? The one whom we befriended when no one else would? The one that everyone made fun of because he had glasses and always had his nose in a book? _That_ Haru Satoshi?"

"Yep, yep," Sakura nodded happily. "Only this time, every girl loves him since he's so 'hot' or 'cute', however you want to put it. Of course, he's brushed them all off since they never really liked him until he became famous for being a super genius. And there's also the fact that he's still waiting for a certain someone to answer his confession." Sakura sent Hinata a sly look that made her blush and look away.

"I do not know what you mean, Sakura-chan." But Hinata did know. In their first year of high school, they had befriended Satoshi and the three had remained close friends. It was in their last year that he admitted his love for Hinata who had been quite shocked. She had always believed him to like Sakura because they seemed to get along well and he had always asked to meet her more than he had asked Hinata. Sakura was also far more beautiful even though her manners at times were not as refined as they could have been.

As for answering his confession, it had been three years and Hinata still didn't really know what to do with it. She had never been confessed to before. However, this didn't seem to matter to Satoshi because according to Sakura, who usually kept up-to-date on what he was doing and how he was since they often saw one another for work, Satoshi's feelings for Hinata still hadn't changed.

"I know you do, Hinata-chan. I can see it on your face. When are you going to answer him? I know you're shy and unsure of stuff like this, but you should try it out with Satoshi. He's a really sweet guy and that makes him even better that he's still waiting for you. You don't see that often."

"I know that, Sakura-chan…but to me…to be honest…he is just a friend. I do not want to hurt his feelings, but…if I thought of him as anything more than that…it seems…frightening. I cannot really explain it well. I just…his friendship is important to me. I do not want to lose that by responding with feelings I truly do not have. Does that even make sense?"

"Yeah, it does," Sakura answered slowly. "But if that's really how you feel, then you should tell Satoshi. Maybe then he'll actually go out with one of the girls that persistently chase him and he'll be able to find happiness with them."

"Yes," Hinata agreed, smiling somewhat sadly. "After all—"

She didn't get to finish, as a blur came whizzing between her and Sakura. A quick "sorry!" was all they heard.

"Tenten, darling, get back here right now! You have to dance with this man! He's really looking forward to it! He's really not that bad!" They stepped aside quickly as another blur came towards them. She stopped and asked, panting, "Dearies, have you seen my daughter Tenten? I could've sworn she came this way."

"Um, Takagi-san, I believe she went that way," Sakura said, pointing in the direction the blur had gone.

"Thank you…Haruno-san, was it?" She asked. Sakura nodded yes. "My, you look just as beautiful as Lee said." This seemingly off-handed comment made Sakura blush, something she never usually did. Hinata tilted her head with a questioning look in her eyes. Who was Lee? How had she not heard of him before? "Well, thank you again, dear. Tenten, you can't hide forever!" With a quick wave, she was off and running, yelling Tenten's name all the while.

"Takagi-san, you can come out now. I'm sure your okaa-san is far away from here now." Sakura stepped aside, revealing a woman who appeared from behind the bushes. She had long, dark brown hair that reached her hips and was clipped to one side. She wore a simple ankle-length gold glitter silk one-shoulder dress.

"Arigatou," she breathed, brushing leaves off her dress. "Thank the Goddess I managed to dodge her. She's totally off her game tonight. Anyway," she held out a hand for either of them to shake, "The name's Tenten. What's yours?"

"Haruno Sakura," Sakura replied, being the first to respond as she reached out a hand.

"Sakura," said Tenten with a wide grin, eyeing Sakura's pink hair and green eyes. "Nice." She gave Sakura's hand a firm shake before turning to Hinata.

"H-H-H-Hyuuga H-Hinata," Hinata added quietly, following Sakura's example. She had never shook hands before. Usually when women greeted one another, it was with a formal bow and if closely related, it was done with a brush of the cheek. At least, that was how she was taught to greet others. Perhaps she was just weird.

"Nice to meet you both," said Tenten enthusiastically. "How'd you know I was there? I didn't think I was making any noise. And I'm usually pretty good at hiding. Not even the blood hound found me which is a new record."

"It was just a hunch," Sakura answered nonchalantly, shrugging her shoulders. "I've always been pretty good at finding people which is probably why no one ever let me be it when we played hide-and-seek."

"At least you didn't rat me out to my kaa-san. I don't know what I would've done if I'd been forced to dance with one of those robots." Tenten shuddered. "Seriously, they're so boring. All they ever do is ask how old you are, what you want to do with your life, all those boring questions adults ask you when you're a kid. I mean, really? Or they're the other type that just leers at you. I can usually pick those guys out of a crowd and avoid them, but every once in a while, I get unlucky."

"You could always just soccer punch them or something," Sakura suggested without hesitation. Hinata only gaped in surprise. She had never hit anyone in her life, much less a man. It was too disrespectful, even if they were looking at her in a way that made her highly uncomfortable. She had been taught to respect a man's power and authority. Why was her upbringing so different from the way women acted nowadays? Or at least from how her friends thought.

"Oh, I do if they get too close," said Tenten with a smirk. "They usually back off when I glare at them or step on their feet, but there are some persistent ones that just don't understand hints, even when they aren't so subtle. And then there's dealing with my kaa-san who never really seems to get it. Tou-san usually does and is rather supportive of me when it comes to these sorts of arguments."

"That makes sense," said Sakura with a small laugh, remembering Takagi-san's reaction to Tenten dancing with any of the men at the party. "Well, let's just hope there's no one like that here tonight."

"I don't think so," Tenten replied as they sat by a water fountain. Sakura and Hinata took the bench while Tenten sat on the edge of the water fountain, swirling her fingers in the water as she thought. Finally she spoke, "The people tou-san invited tonight are mostly from the company, so I know them fairly well. They're not bad. The ojii-sans are gentlemen, the obaa-sans are sweet, but some of the sons and daughters—" She made a face that made Sakura and Hinata laugh. "You have to watch out for them. There are some sons you just want to kick because of the way they look at you. And then there are some daughters that glare if you so much look in their direction because they think they're so high and mighty." She stopped, placing her focus on Hinata. "But you're a Hyuuga!" She yelled, as though just realizing who she had just befriended.

Hinata jumped slightly and nodded hesitantly, not really understanding what Tenten was getting at. Tenten laughed lightly in response, scratching the back of her head in slight embarrassment. "Sorry, Hyuuga-san, but your family's so prestigious that none of the other girls here can compare. Man, when they find out who you are, maybe they'll stop being so arrogant."

"More likely they'll just get more defensive," said Sakura knowingly.

"Maybe," Tenten answered with a shrug. "But if they, do—"

"—we'll protect you, Hinata-chan," Sakura ended, her face set determinedly.

"Thank you," said Hinata timidly, "but I hope I will not need any protecting tonight. Sometimes I wish I could hide that I am part of the Hyuuga family, but it is kind of difficult to do that." She gestured to her pale, pupil-less eyes, a trademark of the Hyuuga family.

"You should never be ashamed of who you are and where you come from," said Tenten, as though it was the most obvious thing, which it was to both Hinata and Sakura who had had this same conversation many times during their friendship.

"It is not as though I am ashamed, really," said Hinata slowly, her eyes focused on her hands which were tightly clasped and placed in her lap.

Sakura's eyes widened slightly in surprise. Under normal circumstances, Hinata wouldn't have said anything and just let it be while the other person prattled away, but she had actually spoken up. In the beginning of their friendship, rather than being awkward and disjointed, it had seemed almost natural to share everything with one another and speak up when necessary. Sakura had only noticed Hinata's little oddity of holding back whenever someone else was with them, such as when they first befriended Satoshi. But perhaps…there was something about Tenten…something that was familiar about her, but that would be impossible since they had only just officially met her. However, Sakura couldn't push away a nagging feeling that told her it was natural for the three of them to be together and talking like old friends. She waved off her thoughts and listened as Hinata continued to speak. It would come to her eventually.

"I feel more that when others see me, they see my family and what we represent. We are a noble and old clan with many prominent members and accomplishments. But," she bit her lip, "I am nothing like the rest of my family. I am the weakest member, I am sure. I had average grades in school, I was horrible in sports, and I can barely cook or even arrange flowers, to name a few common areas where my family excels. There is nothing about me that I can say is unique, nothing that distinguishes me as Hinata, besides the fact that I am exceptionally ordinary. And in the eyes of my father and the elders of our clan," she gave a short, dry chuckle, "that is unacceptable, especially for the heiress. As such, everyone would have depended on me to lead us forward, but…I suppose…due to my lack of skills and really a personality overall, my family felt uncomfortable with my being their leader. Instead, my sister was named heiress. Perhaps it is for the better. It seems that no matter how hard I worked, it was never good enough. My best work is hers when she's having a bad day. I just…" Hinata sighed despairingly, closing her eyes. "I do not want people to look at me, expect something great, and then be disappointed when I do not perform as they expect. It reflects badly on our clan, and…I do not want that. It would only add to the dishonor I have already brought to my family."

Time, they didn't know how long, passed in silence before Tenten cleared her throat and spoke quietly, "I've never…thought about it that way." She gave a soft chuckle and scratched the back of her head. "I guess the way I act also reflects badly on my parents, huh? I'm always out playing with the boys and getting dirty. I hate dressing up, dancing, and basically acting like a girl. In fact, I'm pretty much a seven-year-old in a twenty-year-old's body."

"No," said Hinata, shaking her head. "Even though we have not known each other long, I do not think you are like that at all. You speak your mind and do what you want to do. You are a free spirit…like…a bird. There is nothing wrong with that."

"And I'm sure your parents don't care what other people think," Sakura added. "They love you the way you are. Maybe in some ways they're trying to change you, but I think that's something that will happen naturally. You'll come to understand your strengths and purpose in good time." Even though Sakura said this in addition to Hinata's comment, her eyes had slid toward Hinata at the end of it, indicating that the statement had also been for her.

"Yeah," Tenten smiled, feeling reassured. "You know, this might sound strange, but I feel as though I've known you two for a really long time. I can't explain it, but…it just feels…natural…to have all these deep conversations that I normally never have with anyone."

"Don't worry," said Sakura as a sudden realization dawned on her, "we do understand. I think this just shows how compatible we all are." She gave a wide smile, wondering if Tenten had also picked up on Sakura's discovery.

"And perhaps that we were all meant to meet and become friends," said Hinata, oblivious to her best friend's thoughts.

"Maybe we were friends in a past life," Tenten joked, grinning widely.

Little did Hinata understand how close to the truth that statement was.

**A/N: Thanks for reading! Please take the time to review. I'd really appreciate it!**


	4. Chapter 3

**A/N: Hello readers! Thank you for reading the previous chapters. Here's chapter three!**

**I'd like to take a small amount of space to thank the follower reviewers and alerters: Lost In Dreams 19, MonkHerrick, Cream-Bunny, oceanmoon. Thanks so much!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. It belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.**

Naruto let out a satisfied, relieved sigh, licking his lips of any blood that might still be on them.

"This meal wasn't too bad. Why don't we come to this town more often? The peasants here actually taste good." As he stood, a shudder ran through his body as he remembered the way their soul had slipped into his, melding with his own. It felt good, but after all these years, he still wasn't used to it. The chase always got his blood pumping, but the catch and feeding had always disturbed him. The way his victims fought and writhed beneath him, begging for him to stop, to let them live—it always made him pause while he fed, even if he was on his tenth soul of the night. But to feel something so…human…the thought disgusted him and made him cringe.

"Have you finished?" Gaara asked monotonously from outside, turquoise eyes glinting in the light.

"Yeah, just did," Naruto answered, dusting himself off. "Where's Neji?" He asked as he walked out of the hut. A couple of the lower ranked Demons rushed into the hut and collected the bodies to be burned.

"You know him," Gaara shrugged nonchalantly, descending from the tree he had previously occupied.

"Ah, that's right. He's never satisfied with mere peasants. He likes the 'pure ones'. Probably because he thinks it will keep his already tainted heart from becoming worse," Naruto muttered under his breath, running a hand through his hair.

"More likely it's a subconscious form of revenge," Gaara responded quietly. "But last I saw, he was tracking down a rich girl from that mansion," his eyes flicked toward a house less than two miles outside the village, "who decided to go pick some flowers in the woods."

"Poor, stupid kid," Naruto sighed. "Oh well. I hope she wasn't the only one he was tracking down. He always eats so much; hopefully he comes back soon. I want some rest. I stayed up all night reading." Naruto yawned to emphasize how tired he was.

"When? You were in the library being a lazy ass most of the night. If that counts as reading, what was I doing? Magic tricks? God summoning?" Neji snorted as he dropped down next to Gaara and dusted himself off. "Besides, you reading? Don't make me laugh. I've never in my life seen you even lift a book. Are you sure you can read?" Neji asked, arching a brow.

Naruto scowled. "Of course I can. I wouldn't pretend I could if I really couldn't. Unlike some, I actually acknowledge and embrace my faults."

"What are you suggesting?" Neji responded frostily.

"Nothing, nothing," Naruto replied with a smirk on his face.

Gaara's head turned slightly when he sensed a nearing presence. Neji and Naruto remained unaware of the presence as they continued bickering. Neji features remained neutral while only his voice indicated his condescending attitude. Naruto, on the other hand, was losing his cool as portrayed by his clenched fists and gritted teeth.

A Demon silently dropped down before them and fell to one knee in a deep bow. Neji looked away and Naruto's glare disappeared momentarily.

"Gaara-sama, Naruto-sama, Neji-sama," the Demon greeted, his head lowered.

"What's up?" Naruto asked curiously, answering for them.

"Shikamaru-sama has asked me to report that he broke through the latest of Haru Satoshi's protective shields. We have also gleaned information that a party is being held at this moment in the neighborhood near the mansion. Shikamaru-sama has already given his permission, but we also require yours to infiltrate and gather more souls."

"Even if he has made a breakthrough, we have already fed. There is no need to make unnecessary risks to get humans," Gaara responded, arms crossed loosely.

The Demon hesitated in his reply.

"Speak," Neji commanded, eyes narrowing.

"Shikamaru-sama and Ela-san have been working on something else besides getting through the shields. They have found her, my lords, attending that party. That is the main reason for the infiltration."

Gaara and Neji pondered while Naruto asked, "Found…her? Who? We doing some sort of recon mission or something?" He raised an eyebrow curiously, turning to Neji and Gaara.

"I give you my permission," said Neji as Gaara answered Naruto.

"Gaia's human form." Gaara's light colored eyes turned to the messenger Demon. "I also give my permission."

"Gaia…" said Naruto slowly, stumbling over the foreign name. He scratched his head and gave a hesitant chuckle. "I don't really remember who she's supposed to be, but sure, why not? I give my permission."

"I shall relay this to Shikamaru-sama and the infiltration will be underway immediately. I shall take my leave of you now, my lords." He stood, bowed, and disappeared.

"Things are becoming quite interesting," Gaara murmured, beginning to walk away.

"Hey, Gaara, can you explain to me who…Gaia…is?" Naruto asked, following after him.

"Naruto," Neji called, making the blond stop.

"Nani?" Naruto replied, his eyebrows narrowed in irritation.

Neji threw a handkerchief at Naruto who caught it in surprise without a second thought. Neji said nothing, but simply pointed at a spot on his left cheek.

Naruto muttered murderously with dark eyes, but wiped away the blood and threw the handkerchief back at Neji.

"I don't want it," said Neji uninterestingly, moving slightly to the side to dodge it. "Take it home and burn it in the fire. After all, we know how much you enjoy seeing things burn, Naruto." Naruto's jaw clenched and his eyes turned cold. The pearl-eyed Demon gazed at him levelly, a small, flickering smirk playing on his features. "Something I said make you feel uncomfortable?" Instead of replying with a snappy comeback, Naruto simply swerved around and began running off, making his way for home. Neji scoffed lightly. "Disappointing. I thought for sure that would get him going."

"Childish," Gaara murmured, eyes flashing red before he turned and followed Naruto.

Neji stared after the two, a deep, fiery anger burning deep inside his chest. He hated them both, hated what they had turned him into, hated the life he had been cursed with. But compared to the life he would have had as a human, was this any different? His fists clenched and unclenched, his nails digging into his skin hard enough to draw blood. But he ignored it; that pain was insignificant compared to what was always gnawing at the back of his mind. It would be so easy, so easy to let his Demon self take full control, to ravage and pillage villages, feeding on humans, killing anyone, human and Demon alike, that stood in his way. He would be powerful; he wouldn't care. And if he went rogue, he would be killed. That was what he wanted, wasn't it? Why, then, did he not? Truthfully, his pride would not allow him. If he was going to die, it would be due to a stronger opponent defeating him, not because he had lost to himself. Even if everything else was taken from him, he would not allow this one thing to be part of that.

He gave a small, animalistic growl, releasing his clenched fists and following after the two Demon Masters.

**A/N: I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please take the time to review. Thanks!**


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